The effect is created by a Hollywood makeup artist. The makeup guy has been tinkering with his sculpting -- after working on their version from news photographs, he and Steve Bridges actually did meet the Shrub face to face, a while back. His website describes the meeting. They commented on how Bush's hair was darker and he seemed more muscular than they'd thought ... I wonder if the real George W.'s been using hair dye and padding? The Leno version of him would look more older and more haggard if not for that meeting (they "adjusted" the makeup afterwards)
http://www.stevebridges.com/news_meeting.htmlI doubt Bush let them touch and measure him, or anything like that, but the more recent versions tend to look more similar in terms of facial details. (Except that they still haven't quite got the eyebrows right, in my opinion ...)
Having been a longtime professional actor, he's better at getting Bush's movements and mannerisms than the amateurs who just happen to have similar facial features. And his talent company was willing to put thousands of dollars into developing the makeup (plus wardrobe and scripts). (He gets 15-20k per appearance.)
added -- Has anyone else noticed that Bridges often leans forward, keeping his eyes on the camera but tucking in his chin? I think this is deliberate. His face (especially with the prosthetics) is a bit longer than Bush's, and by doing this he foreshortens it -- the optical illusion increases the resemblance. (There are video clips on the Tonight Show website.)
Bridges without makeup:
As Dubya:
Description of the process:
http://www.ppi.cc/ppi_players/kevin_haney2.htmThe guy is apparently a devoted Bush supporter and evangelical Baptist preacher, on the side -- I can't help thinking that it would be funny to stick the same prosthetics on someone like, say, Tim Robbins, and see what he could do!
This is the guy who used to be on the show. I feel kind of sorry he's lost his gig, because he's a building contractor from Missouri in real life, and couldn't really afford to compete with Bridges:
http://www.gwbushimpersonator.com/gallery.htmlI think this other guy looks a bit more like Bush in a gloating mood -- maybe Letterman will invite him, or something!:
http://www.georgebushimpersonator.com